It was… frustrating, to say the least.
I always wanted to see him, to be near him, and I found myself looking forward to even the smallest interactions. But I had no right. His true mate-his fated one-was somewhere out there. And I didn’t know if he even felt anything for me beyond companionship. I couldn’t allow myself to hope.
Besides, my life was complicated enough. I had my pup to think about. Carrying an Alpha pup meant I would likely give birth in just four months instead of the usual term, and every decision I made now had to consider that life growing inside me.
Adding Darius into the equation… he was a complication I couldn’t afford.
More forand
Worse, I knew Alpha wolves didn’t easily accept pups that weren’t their own-whether from another Alpha or an ordinary wolf.
I had to protect my child, no matter what.
I didn’t want to be forced to leave Crescent Moon just because of a messy entanglement with its Alpha. I refused to let history repeat itself.
“Elaine, can you come to my office?”Darius’s voice slid into my mind through the mind-link, calm but commanding.
I glanced at the stack of papers on my desk. I was nearly finished for the day, which only made his request more confusing. He rarely called me after hours unless it was important.
“Of course, Alpha,” I replied mentally, and quickly scolded myself for the slip. Darius hated when I called him that.
I smoothed my hair and made my way down the hall. When I reached his office door, I hesitated a moment before knocking.
“Come in,” his voice called from within.
I opened the door, stepping inside. The sight that greeted me instantly put me on edge. Not only was
Darius seated behind his desk, but Beta Marcus and Gamma Evan were there as well, both with grim expressions.
“Darius, you asked for me?” I said carefully, closing the door behind me.
“Yes. Have a seat,” he said, gesturing to the chair across from his desk. His tone was calm, but there was a weight to the air that made my stomach twist.
As I sat, I couldn’t help but notice the seriousness etched into all three of their faces. Darius’s eyes lingered on me a moment longer than usual, and I couldn’t decipher what emotion they held. Concern?
Guilt? Anger?
“Is there a problem?” I blurted, anxiety tightening my chest.
Did I make a mistake? Am I about to be dismissed?
Darius shook his head, his expression softening slightly.
“No, not a problem.” He leaned back, folding his hands together. “We received an invitation from the Silverblade pack for their Alpha and Luna ceremony next month. It seems Alpha Efrein is finally retiring.”
My breath caught in my throat.
Silverblade.
Just hearing the name felt like a knife twisting into old wounds.
I had accepted what happened, or at least I thought I had, but the pain was still there-lingering, sharp,
My wolf whimpered softly inside me, echoing my sadness.
“As my assistant, you would normally accompany us to such an event,” Darius continued, his voice steady, though his eyes never left mine. “But given your history with Silverblade, I want to ask what you would prefer.”
Panic began to claw at my chest. The thought of walking back into that place, of seeing those faces again it was overwhelming. My breaths quickened despite my effort to control them, but then I felt a hand rest gently on my shoulder.
I turned slightly to see Evan, his Gamma charm radiating calmness into me.
“Relax, Elaine,” he said with a small, reassuring smile. “Nothing will happen to you. You’re safe here.”
I let out a shaky breath, grateful for his presence. Now I understood why he was here-to help steady me.
“There’s no wrong answer here, Elaine,” Darius added softly. “If it were up to me, I wouldn’t want you to come at all. At first, I considered not telling you, but… that felt wrong. I don’t want to decide this for you.”
His words, his consideration, made something in my chest ache. He wasn’t just being an Alpha in this moment-he was being Darius.
“Will it really be alright if I don’t go?” I asked quietly, my voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t think I’m ready to see them again. And by that time… I’ll be showing.
I don’t want them to know about my pregnancy.
Darius’s gaze softened, his voice firm but kind. “Yes, it’s alright. As I said, I wouldn’t want you to come. Not if it would hurt you.”
I exhaled in relief, though part of me still trembled.
They were left in the quiet that followed Marcus and Evan’s polite exit – a soft closing of the door, the distant creak of boots in the corridor.
The pack house felt larger with only the two of them in it, the shadows in the corners deeper, the lamplight making small, golden islands on the floor.
Elaine folded her hands tightly over her belly as if she could hold the pup there with will alone.
“Thank you,” she said again, voice small. “I don’t know what I’ll do if I have to go back and see them. I’ve accepted what happened… but I’m not ready to see them. Any of them.”-
Her eyes dropped to the worn rug at her feet. Silverblade pack had become, in her mind, a monument to everything she had lost to the mate who should have been her future and to the family that had turned away. The word betrayal tasted like ash.
Darius listened without interrupting. He nodded, slow and steady. There was no rush in his movements, only the deliberate calm of someone who carried responsibility as naturally as he breathed.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.